What is Organic SEO?
Organic SEO (search engine optimization), sometimes referred to as natural search optimization, website SEO, or just plain old SEO, is the process of improving the rankings of a website in search engine results for specific targeted keyword phrases.
Organic search results are "free" in a sense - that is, you don't pay for a listing in the search results pages for your keywords, as you do with pay per click advertising, like Google's AdWords and others.
Unlike paid search, the benefits of organic SEO can be seen long after the initial search engine optimization work has been completed. With paid search, your ads in the search engine listings stop once you stop paying for them or you have met your budget. Organic SEO techniques, on the other hand, can keep showing up for an indefinite time period. Of course, it helps to continue your website SEO efforts at least on a limited basis to help maintain your rankings and improve those where you're not ranking as well in the search engines as you'd like.
The Organic SEO Process
There are several steps that take place in the process of organic search engine optimization. These steps may begin even while a website is in the planning stages and continue throughout the life of the website. While there are distinct advantages to starting your website SEO efforts before your website ever goes live, it's never too late to start an organic SEO campaign. The steps include:{/p]
- Keyword research. Keyword research is the process of selecting words and phrases that members of your targeted website audience might use when conducting a web search. The goal is to target the keywords and phrases that will generate the most traffic that are not yet so competitive - millions and millions of results are returned for those keyword phrase - that despite your best website SEO efforts you website has little chance of getting top placement in the organic search results. Unfortunately, many website SEO efforts begin with just selecting keywords to target without researching their popularity and competitiveness. Additionally, the popularity and competition levels of keyword phrases changes over time, so it helps to revisit your targeted keyword phrases from time to time.
- SEO copywriting. SEO copywriting involves creating content for your website that centers on the keywords you've targeted.
- On-page optimization. This step involves optimizing the code, text and the anchor text used for hyperlinks throughout your website. for your search engine optimization campaign will bring the audience you are targeting for your website. See Search Engine Optimization Tips for some of the organic search engine optimization techniques you may be able to do yourself.
- Link building. In organic SEO, link building is the process of finding other places on the web - like blogs, other websites on topics related to yours and online directories - that will link to one of your website pages using the search engine keywords you've selected. Incoming links are important to strengthening your organic search engine rankings, especially for keywords that are highly competitive.
- Other website promotion techniques. Additional website promotion techniques, such as blog marketing, article marketing and distributing online press releases can also help build links to your website, thereby improving your organic search engine optimization rankings over time.
Things You Need to Know About Organic SEO
There are several things you need to know about website SEO from the organic search engine optimization perspective, including:
- It is possible to over optimize your site. If the search engines suspect you are trying to "game the system" it can result in getting your site penalized in the organic search engine rankings. In fact, some tactics, known as "black hat SEO", could result in getting your site barred from the organic search results completely.
- Unlike paid search marketing, the results of your organic SEO efforts may take time and you need to be patient.
- Even if you succeed in ranking well for your targeted keyword phrases, there's no guarantee that searchers will want to click through to your site or stay once they arrive. Your site needs to be a worthy destination that's related to the keywords you've targeted.
- Don't overlook conversion optimization when working on an organic search engine optimization campaign. Once searchers arrive on your site, you'll want to take the necessary steps to follow through and make a purchase, sign up for a newsletter, register, or whatever other desired action you have defined for your visitors.
How Organic SEO Can Work for You
An effective organic SEO campaign for your website can result in bringing more traffic to your site, and can continue bringing traffic to your website indefinitely. It's likely that you'll need to hire someone skilled in website SEO to handle some or all of the tasks for you, but there are some tasks you can perform yourself.
Additionally, online search engine optimization classes can help you better understand the processes involved in organic search engine optimization, whether you do it yourself or hire someone else to take care of your website SEO needs for you.
Organic SEO is Just One Piece of the Puzzle
Organic SEO is just one of the many tools available to home businesses when it comes to online marketing. See the Online Marketing Guide for additional ideas for promoting your business online.